


By Firelight

by Anais_Silveas



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Garl just because I've been reading Emissary Davenport by DragonWrites, Nobody told me to stop, Post-Canon, ThisOne'sSeriousGuys, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-06
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-01-24 08:09:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21335011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Anais_Silveas/pseuds/Anais_Silveas
Summary: After The Day of Story and Song, the Seven Birds, and the whole world settles, but something is wrong, something is here that shouldn't be, can the Birds and their companions find a solution? And who is this new Genasi that's having the same experiences? What's really going in... The Adventure Zone?Cue Griffin's Rad Banger of an Intro
Relationships: Barry Bluejeans/The Director | Lucretia/Lup, Istus/The Raven Queen (The Adventure Zone), Kravitz/Taako (The Adventure Zone), Starblaster Crew as Family - Relationship
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> What is Up, My Fine, Feathered Friends? I'm writing another TAZ fic, purely because the idea's been rattling around in my brain, and because even though the new series is started, I'm still living in the past and writing Balance, because Damn, Y'all. Anyway, I wanted to point out that some stuff in this might be odd if you haven't read DragonWrites' Wonderful Emissary Davenport series, I recently just read all of it in the span of like... two days, and damn is it worth it, but the Davenport in this fic is going to similar, and basically based on those wonderful fics. This is happening now, mostly because I wanted to challenge myself writing perspectives other than those that I'm used to writing, or seeing through, and I decided Lucretia and Davenport would be those, but you can't have them without the other birds, and I've had this fic idea sitting around for... awhile. ANYHOO! I hope enjoy, leave a Kudo, or a Comment, if you'd like, and I hope to see you next chapter, enjoy.
> 
> -Anais_Silveas

Taako couldn't help but feel like something was wrong, even the comforting stroke of Kravitz's thumb over his knuckles couldn't pull the Elf's ears away from his head, He was sure, deep in his gut that the world after the Day of Story and Song was wrong in some way. For a while, he had just put it up to the long internalized paranoia that he had developed over being in one place for too long, but it got worse, and today, it felt like it was taking control of Taako's whole body, like whatever connection he had to nature through his ancestral, elven past was screaming at him that the world was wrong. A soft tinkling filled the air for a moment, and then everything froze, time itself stopped, and another being was in the room, watching the still forms of Taako and Kravitz. This new being seemed to be a life size, glass sculpture of a bald, human woman, and for several seconds she just stood and watched two of this world's saviors.

Thirty Miles away, in Rockport, a woman with ash grey skin, and fiery hair stands, chained in a cell. In a way, not much had changed since the Militia caught her, she was alone before, now she was alone and in chains. She had expended most of her energy when the orb of light drifted through the bars of her cell and landed on the stone floor. Slowly, the orb changed, growing into the shape of a bald human woman who looked as though she were made of glass. The glass woman observed her for a moment, until a distorted, almost robotic voice escaped her mouth, and said in Primordial "Anomaly. You do not belong in this plane, further research necessary." and then she disappeared. The Fire Genasi woman chained in the cell took that as a good reason to leave. The Fire Genasi spoke quickly in a series of sharp clicks and pops that resembled the sounds of a raging fire, using the Primordial language of Fire to channel the home plane of her mother, and melt the chains that bound her. Another short sentence ruined the bars of her cell, but left her almost completely drained of her elemental power, it was all she could do to cast burning hands down the hallway of the prison to distract what few guards there were. before she left though, she cast an invisible mage hand into the prison's record room to grab her file, the militia wouldn't even remember her crimes, even though her name was plastered all over the wanted posters: Magviryn Sunwhisper.

Magnus and Merle were in Goldcliff for the day, Magnus was making a deposit at the trust, and Merle was visiting his kids on vacation, so they made a day out of it. They were walking out of the bank when the Dwarven cleric got a bad case of the heebie jeebies.

"What's up, Merle?" Magnus asked, knowing the Dwarf's instinct, and holding Johann's collar tight

"Not sure, Mags, but somethin' tells me we should get back to Eversummer." Merle replied, unconsciously stroking his soulwood arm

Davenport stood on the deck of his ship, staring across the calm sea towards the approaching Sword Coast, but he found his eye wandering from its focus to a small rocky shoal not far from his ship, where a glass woman stood, she couldn't have gotten there by any normal means, as there was no boat in sight, not even an oarless dinghy. Davenport's hackles raised, and his tail flicked, a soft nudge in his mind guided his hand to his pocket where he kept a golden throwing knife, ready to defend himself, but the glass woman blinked out of existence before he decided to wield it.

Lucretia was distracted, and for once not by Lup and Barry, in fact she would rather have seen her lovers pop into her office through an astral portal, but no, she was sitting in her high-backed oak chair in the Bureau of Benevolence HQ, and attempting to file paperwork, but ever few moments, she would hear someone rush past her door, she counted eight and a score, before she was fed up, and decided to do something about it. Lucretia stood up, a now powerless bulwark staff in hand, and kicked her door outwards, shouting "What in the Nine Hells is going on?!"

Everything froze, but not in response to the Director. The same glass woman that visited the rest of our heroes appeared next to her, and after thinking for a moment, spoke in Common, saying "The Journalist, the One who Trapped the Hunger... We owe you your time."

Magviryn stepped into the caboose of the Rockport Limited, finding the storage room of the train. The Fire Genasi stripped off the Orange jumpsuit she was wearing, and kicked off her black flats. Godsdamn those shoes. Naked and Barefoot, the grey-skinned woman stretched, bending backwards and placing her hands on the ground. After a moment, she kicked he feet upwards, and lifted her light-as-ash body into a handstand. Magviryn walked around the train car on her hands for several minutes, before she felt limber enough to continue her journey. Flipping out of her handstand, Magviryn began looking through the storage room, and found a quite similar rogue kit to her own, right down to the two throwing daggers, and the hooded street-clothes. She quickly slipped on the leather armor, and the street-clothes over it, and went to walk into the next car, but found the door locked, she drew on her elemental power for, hopefully, the last time that day, and melted the lock, allowing her access to the dining car, which was almost empty with the exception of a young boy, dressed too formally for his age, that anyone in this world would recognize as Angus McDonald.

"Wow, Miss! My name is Angus, I'm the World's Greatest Detective, and You're a Fire Genasi!" Angus said, overwhelmingly excited

"Sure am, Kid." Magviryn replied, quickly casting Prestidigitation with a flick of her wrist to clean the sweat and dirt from her skin

"I'm sorry if I offended you, miss, I've just never met a Fire Genasi before!"

"No problem, little dude. So, what are you doing on the 3:30 to Eversummer?"

"I'm going to the Bureau of Benevolence, miss. There's been some weird sightings going on, especially with my friends. Taako said he saw a lady made of glass watching him and Mister Kravitz while they were at home!"

"Angus... My name's Magviryn... I think I need in on this case."

"Of course Miss, Always happy to help!"

All Seven of The Birds had made it to Eversummer, and were sitting at a round table in the Bureau of Benevolence, along with a few more. Kravitz had immediately claimed the seat next to Taako, and was fidgeting anxiously, Carey and Killian were seated next to the director, lovingly holding hands and lounging in each others' seats, Lup and Barry were doing much the same on Lucretia's other side, and the Director looked as though she longed to join in. Magnus and Merle were sitting across from the Director on the other side of Faerun's favorite Elf, and they were all staring at the one empty chair at the table. 

"Who are we waitin' for again?" Merle asked, watching Kravitz roll Taako's sleeve down, from where he'd rolled it up the moment earlier

"Angus, he's the one who summoned us in the first place, he should be here if he hailed a taxi-wagon... I'm starting to worry about him." Lucretia said

Just as Lucretia finished her sentence, Angus rounded the corner into the room, leading a grey-skinned woman with fiery red hair, and bare feet.

"Hello, Everyone! I'm sorry I'm late, I got caught up taking Miss Magviryn's account of her sighting!" Angus shouted as a greeting

"Hail, and uh... Well met, I guess... I'm Magviryn..." Magviryn announced, waving awkwardly at the room.

"Hey, I was gonna say that!" Magnus said, seemingly ignoring the fact that Angus, the boy who was practically his son, had brought a possibly dangerous stranger to their meeting

"Hey Angus, My lovely, good, smart, wonderful boy, Who is this?" Lucretia asked wide eyed, and wondering why no one else was freaking out

"Oh, right, Miss Magviryn had a sighting of this Glass lady Taako, and Mister Kravitz, and Mister Davenport, and you met, Miss Lucretia." Angus replied, taking his seat at the round table.

"Hold up, Ango... I've heard the name Magviryn before... Are you Magviryn Sunwhisper?" Taako asked, looking up at the ceiling

"Why, uh... Why do you ask?" Magviryn replied, her legs tensing to run

"An old friend of mine... uh... damn, what was his name? Cadhainn... Yeah, Cadhainn Sunwhisper, he mentioned he had a young daughter with an efreeta, at one of my last Sizzle it Up shows."

"Oh... You knew my dad... yeah, he's uh... he's gone now." Magviryn replied, her face settling from fear into stony resentment,

"Well, Now that we have that reunion out of the way, I would like to hear Miss Sunwhisper's account for myself." Lucretia said, her voice quiet, and threatening.

"Oh, um... I uh... I think I'd rather let Angus tell you."

"Actually, Miss Magviryn, I'd like to hear the truth." Angus said from his seat, looking over to where Magviryn was standing, about ten feet from the table.

"Uh... W... what do you mean, Angus? I told you the truth." Magviryn replied, internally wondering why she'd even stayed with Angus

"Come on, Miss Magviryn, your face is all over the Rockport wanted posters, and they just recently reported a break out at the Rockport city jail, You know I really am the World's Greatest detective, miss Magviryn."

Magviryn wanted to run, wanted to disappear into the streets of Eversummer, and come out of it richer, but something was keeping her here, some unseen force that she couldn't control. If you were to look through the eyes of the Goddess of Fate, you would see white threads, thick, and stronger than any real thread, tying this Fire Genasi into the lives of her Seven Birds.

Magviryn sighed, and said "alright, fine." Lucretia waved her hand, and another chair materialized so that Magviryn could sit, and the Fire Genasi told her story.

"After Dad died, I was alone, I got kicked out of our High-elf settlement, because I wasn't a "pure elf," they'd only let me stay before because my dad was in good standing with the Court, but I didn't really want to live there anyway, so I made my way to Rockport, enrolled in a dancing school, but once they saw that I was a fire Genasi... I wasn't accepted very much, dance partners always claimed that i'd burned them because my skin was too hot, but... they were really just scared of me, didn't want me there, so I quit, and started putting my dexterity to a different use. Being a rogue in Rockport is usually a pretty good gig, you get tourists passing through everyday, and the Limited makes an easy target, and I can't tell you how many Tom Bodetts I've burgled, but eventually the Militia stops taking it easy, eventually you take too much, and they get ya'. I was in a cell in the Rockport jail when that freaky glass woman showed up, a white orb floated through the bars of the cell, and then turned into her, she stared at me for a good minute, almost, before she spoke to me in Primordial. She called me an anomaly, and then she disappeared, and I broke outta jail. Happy?"

"Thank you, Miss Magviryn, that was very helpful." Angus said, writing in his little notebook.

The room was quiet for a moment. Taako and Lup were looking at each other, with a very intentional look, Magnus looked like he was about to cry, and was holding Johann in his lap as best he could, Merle was asleep, and Carey was nodding like she understood, like she would've done the same in Magviryn's situation. From her seat, Magviryn broke the silence once more, asking "So, you gonna turn me in? If you do, can you at least give me like... a day to try and run?"

"Of course not, Magviryn." Davenport said, having been silent this whole time, he looked down at his small hands for a moment before he said "Everyone at this table has done... reprehensible things in their past, and no one here could judge you in any way for how you made your living."

Having heard their Captain's words, each of the Seven birds nodded in turn, and their companions nodded as well, solemn, but smiling, knowing that each and every person at the table would agree. Something in Magviryn's chest broke loose, and she felt a warmth that was unlike the fire she summoned from her mother's elemental plane, something wholesome, and loving, she couldn't be sure what it was about this group of amazing people that made them accept her, or what it was about them that made her want to stay, but Gods be damned if she wasn't going to chase that bliss.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A plan is made, Magviryn meets her mother, and Lucretia interrupts.

"Alright everyone, we need to focus, what are we going to do about this glass woman?" Davenport said, bringing the group back to the matter they'd been summoned for.

"Do... uh... Do we even need to do anything?" Magnus asked "I mean... so far it seems like she's just watching us."

"I dunno, man... the way she said that I didn't belong in this plane... sounded like she wanted to take me out." Magviryn said

"Yeah, and I don't super want people peeping in my house." Taako supplied

"Sure, but like... have we tried talking to her?" Magnus said

"Every time she shows up, time freezes. When she appeared to Taako and Mister Kravitz, and When she showed up near Lucretia's office." Angus said

"Time didn't freeze when she talked to me." Magviryn said, right before Davenport said "Me either, although she was standing on a shoal a ways away from my ship."

"What's different about Magviryn that she didn't need to stop time?" Lucretia asked

"I dunno... I'm a fire Genasi, we're... kinda rare here in Faerun... um... I'm actually from this plane, that's one..."

"Are you? The Glass woman called you an anomaly, and said that you didn't belong on this plane." Angus asked

"I mean, I figured she was confusing me for an efreeta, because of the elemental power, but I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to be here."

"What if you're not though? Everyone else she visited isn't supposed to be on this plane."

"Then why didn't she visit the rest of the Birds? Why just Taako, Davenport, and I?" Lucretia asked

"I'm not sure... I need to do some research, see if there's ever been anything like this reported in Faerun before."

"I'll get you all the research material you need, Angus."

"I'll start asking around Eversummer, and Raven's Roost where I can." Magnus proclaimed

"Barry and I will ask Bird Mom if she knows anything, if any weird planar stuff is going on, RQ should know." Lup said, casually summoning her scythe

"Well, Krav and I are going home to put up even more wards." Taako muttered

"I... um... guess I can check in with my mom? Maybe I'm not really supposed to be on this plane." Magviryn said, not really sure what to do next.

"Alright then, I hereby adjourn this meeting, someone please wake up Merle and get him out of my conference room." Lucretia said, dismissing them with a wave of her hand.

Magviryn started walking out of the conference room, but she felt an arm loop around hers, and was stopped before she could leave. The fire genasi turned to face her captor, only to find herself face to face with Lup the Resplendent. Her face was a perfect match to her brother's, only less aloof, and more charming, and cheerful. Her eyes were a dark amber, almost the color of fire, and her canines looked just the slightest bit like they could tear through flesh just as well as anything else.

"Hey Magviryn, right?" She asked, smiling as wide as she could, and flipping her hair over her shoulder

"Um... yes, yeah, uh... hi... um... Lup." Magviryn replied, flustered a bit by the beautiful elf currently touching her skin

"Sooooo, I was thinking, and I cleared it with Barry, my lovely, lovely husband over there" Lup pointed to the bland looking man, who still managed to be bland even though his face was broadcast to the entire planar system, and he waved. "I think, that it would be absolutely wonderful, if you would, uh... stay with us, at least until we figure out what's going on with this whole glass woman situation."

"Oh, no, I... I couldn't. I uh... I'll be alright, I'll figure something out."

"Magviryn, Maggie, Vir, Babe, Shut up."

"That's way too much, Lup, I don't want to-"

"Shuuuut up. We've got a huge house, it connects to Taako and Kravtiz's, and the house is empty wayyyyy too much. You wouldn't be a problem, or taking up any space."

"I... um... are you sure?"

"If you're lucky you might get to see Lucretia naked" Lup's voice said in Magviryn's head as she cast Message

Magviryn choked on air while Lup continued her Message, saying "Besides, hun... if anyone knows what it's like to be alone and on the streets, it's Taako and I. I don't want that for you anymore." With her Message finished, Lup cut a portal in the air to her and Barry's home "Just hop through there when you want to crash, Barry and I should be home before long, Ciao, babes." Lup said, walking over to Barry, and opening another rift to the Astral Plane.

Magviryn stood by as Angus and Magnus walked past her to leave, but they both surprised her, Angus by shaking her hand and thanking her, and Magnus by throwing his arms around her shoulders, and hugging her tightly. The fire genasi had to fight every instinct she had to lift his wallet, but also, with the thought of one of the Seven Birds hugging HER, Magviryn felt her face heat up, and judging by Magnus's reaction, so did the rest of her body, because the fighter hissed, and pulled his bare arms away very quickly. The fire Genasi gave him a quick "Sorry" and a cringe, before rushing off into Lup and Barry's home. The Astral portal closed behind her, and Magviryn found herself standing in a well furnished townhouse, on the outskirts of Eversummer. The floors were darkly colored hardwood, and the walls were painted a rich purplish red, close to the color of wine, but the thing that stood out the most, in the elegantly furnished living room, was the bright blue loveseat that sat in front of the hearth, which was bright blue because it was upholstered in denim. Magviryn sighed at the sight, but shook her head and started about her business, gathering thirteen candles, and retrieving a fire opal from her bag.

With a ritual circle complete, and one of her four fire opals in the center, Magviryn forced the last of her elemental power into creating a portal to the elemental plane of fire. The flames that bit at the wicks of the candles sprouted higher that should be allowed, and the fire opal at the center of the circle rose from the wooden floor, until it was floating at eye level in the center of the ritual. The candle flames darted towards the opal, and swirled around it in a violent, and hypnotic waltz, until finally, an Efreeta carefully stuck her head out of it, and into the Prime Material Plane. The Efreeta known simply as Ignira had not been on this plane for nearly twenty six years, not since her daughter's birth. The Efreeta's skin looked to be made of volcanic rock, and the magma that it had formed from, her hair was wild fire, born of the most violent of the elements, but her eyes were terrible, white-hot fire that bore down on any being with contempt, and a feeling of immolation.

"Magviryn, dearest!" The Efreeta spoke in Ignan, her voice heavy like a roaring forest fire

"Hello, Mother... I... It's good to actually meet you." Magviryn replied, her normally strong voice tiny against her mother's 

"Oh, my darling daughter, Firespawn... Cinder.... What has you so troubled? I see on your face, and your fiery heart many things that pose questions."

"Mother, I... Am I meant to be on this plane? Was I meant to live this life?"

"Oh sweet Ember, Of course you are meant to be on this plane, you are meant to take care of your father, and to protect him where I could not. Where is he, darling? I'm sure he would say much the same."

The look on Magviryn's face, one of normally well maintained composure, became a look of grief, and anger, and Ignira became confused, she had no way to know of Cadhainn's passing, and Magviryn knew that, but the anger over her mother's negligence did not fade.

"He's dead, Mother." Magviryn replied, her voice lifeless, and cold

Ignira visibly deflated. Her hair shortened, and turned blue, her being itself shrunk, Magviryn knew that her mother, in her true form was over twelve feet tall, but as she watched her mother begin to grieve, the Efreeta could have only been as tall as a normal human. Ignira's arms appeared from the fiery portal, and reached out to touch her daughter's face.

"I am so sorry, my love, my firefly... If I had known..." Ignira said softly, her voice now only as strong as Magviryn's

"Why did you never come back?" Magviryn asked, letting her head fall into her mother's hand

"Darling, if there is anything you must know about Jinn, especially those in my realm, it is that we are vain, and greedy. If I had returned to this plane, I would have been so sorely tempted to claim you, and take you back to my world of fire, but even one such as you, with the blood of Efreeta running through your veins, would not survive long in the Plane of Fire. Many have tried to venture there, but it was not designed for mortal creatures, blood can boil, flesh can melt... it is not safe."

Before Magviryn could speak again, she heard a key in the lock of Lup and Barry's door, and chose that as her excuse to end the conversation.

"I have to go, Mother, if I can, I will speak to you again." Magviryn said, swiping the chalk of her ritual circle away with her bare foot.

The portal to the Elemental Plane popped shut just as the door to Lup and Barry's home swung open, and Lucretia stepped in, her white hair shining in the mid-evening sun, her face sullen. As her eyes, rose to meet Magviryn's, her face became stony, and her thoughts placed carefully back behind solid walls. The Director did not go so far as to pull herself into a casting stance, but Magviryn felt energy gathering around her staff.

"Ms. Sunwhisper. Why are you here?" Lucretia asked, guardedly

"Lup told me that I should stay here. She said that she didn't want me out on the streets anymore... she said she'd cleared it with Barry, and that he agreed." Magviryn answered, suddenly very tired.

The fire Genasi fell onto the denim couch, and felt her eyes flutter against her will.

"Do you mind if I... Take a quick nap?" Magviryn asked, yawning

Lucretia, apparently sensing that Magviryn was not a threat, let the energy around her staff disperse, and replied, saying "Of course not, I might be drunk when you wake up anyhow, so enjoy your nap."


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This boy is a shorty, sorry, but I'm very tired

When She woke up, Magviryn was met with two, dark, surprisingly owlish eyes, about two inches from her face.

"Oh! you're awake, good!" Lucretia said, pulling away when she saw that Magviryn's eyes were open

"Um... Yeah, Lucretia... uh, what're you doing?" Magviryn replied

"Oh... well, uh- hic - I... don't uh... I'm..."

"Okayyyy, are you good?" Magviryn asked when Lucretia fell into silence.

Lucretia's face scrunched up into a sort of pout, along with a puzzled brow wrinkle, and instead of answering, she stood up, just to lie down on the couch next to Magviryn, taking up a little spoon position, and flinging her arm back, holding a half empty bottle of red wine.

"Drink some wine before we run out." Lucretia said

Magviryn didn't reply, instead finding it easier to gently take the wine from the older woman, and taking a swig to abate the look Lucretia was giving her. Apparently sated, Lucretia nodded, and snuggled closer to the fire Genasi, commenting softly, saying "You're so warm, Maggie... like a personal heater... it's nice, I should cuddle you more."

Shocked, and unsure of what to say, Magviryn took another, longer drink from the wine bottle, and didn't notice her body heating up even more, as a darker grey spread across her cheeks. Magviryn wasn't brought back to reality until she smelled cotton burning, and realized she'd almost set the denim couch on fire.

"I can practically hear your thoughts, Maggie. You're wondering why I'm drunk, and why I'm snuggled up to a woman I met six hours ago. Maggie, I'm... I'm old... much older than I even look... even after the century of ending worlds, and the decade alone... I haven't gotten used to the world ending, and I still blame myself for so much... even on the Starblaster, with Lup and Barry, even after making that family I never did give, or receive much physical affection, but... when I get... drunk, especially this drunk, I crave it, and... youre very comfy, and very warm... I'm... gonna... fall asleep now. Please, just... stay here." Lucretia said, more honest than she'd ever been, even with Lup and Barry.

It wasn't long before the two reapers came home, opening a portal into the living room, and stepping through to find Lucretia and Magviryn lying on the denim couch, with two empty bottles of wine lying on the floor. Magviryn's head rose when Lup stepped through the portal, so that's who Lup cast Message on, saying "Looks like you two had some fun tonight."

"More like Lucretia got drunk because she's scared, and I fell asleep, until she decided I would be a good heater." Magviryn shot back

"Huh... she's never been a cuddly drunk with us."

"She still blames herself for everything that happened to you... she's afraid to be honest with you, and she is one of the most touch starved people on this plane."

"Oh... I didn't know..."

"I shouldn't have told you in the first place, but I finished the second bottle of wine, after she fell asleep. My inhibitions are not intact..."

"Okay, well, I'll take her to bed, and we can talk in the morning if she's feeling up to it."

Magviryn's arm unconsciously tightened around Lucretia, and she said "Lucretia asked me not to leave her."

"S... sure, Maggie, but she IS our girlfriend... if she's here, she generally sleeps with us." Lup replied, taken a but aback, by Magviryn

"Then we should ask what she wants."

"Okay, Magviryn."

The fire Genasi gently shook Lucretia awake, and smiled when she yawned loud enough to drown out the sound of the wind outside.

"Hey, Lucy... Barry and I are home, do you wanna come to bed with us?" Lup asked, softly touching Lucretia's hand

Lucretia frowned for a moment, taking stock of the look on Lup's face, and Magviryn's arm around her stomach, and then she said softly "you've been fighting... stop it."

"Alright, Lucy. I promise we'll stop fighting."

"I wanna go to bed with Maggie."

"Okay, hun... I'll leave you be, then... um, guest bedroom is upstairs, on the right, Mag... sleep well."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Changes begin, and Magviryn sees an old friend

In a space between planes, a glass woman closed her eyes. She saw so much all the time, so many lives, and worlds. One hundred ruined planes, one hundred years of death, destruction, and sorrow. This principality had always been designated a fixer, one of the agents of those outside the planes, but she had seen no case as worrisome as this. When she had been sent, she was charged with seven souls to set right, The seven who were not from this plane, but helped to save it. Once she was on this plane, two of the souls did not appear to her, she eventually found them, but their souls were whole, content and where they were meant to be, the other five she could see, and sense, their souls shattered, spread across one hundred planes. There was another as well, one who's soul was not shattered across a hundred planes, but seemed to be two souls in one. This one's soul was indeed two when she examined closer, a mortal soul, fiery, not unlike that of an efreeta, and a darker soul, one tied to a demon lord, Orcus she believed, she was surprised that no one could sense it, given the two Birds' affinity to the Lady Raven Queen, but that was just an odd coincidence that she would have to address later. Now she would have to fix the Five broken Birds, and then the fix came to her: Combine the hundred worlds.

Lucretia awoke to the buzzing of her Stone of Farspeech. After Struggling to dig it out of her robes and answer it, she was greeted with Killian's voice, frantic, and concerned.

"Killian, calm down, what's going on?" Lucretia asked, halting the orc in her tracks

"The Bureau headquarters, I don't know what happened... you have to come see." Killian replied

"Alright, I'll be there as soon as I can."

"Thanks director."

Lucretia forced herself out of the guest bed, trying not to think about how much of a fool she'd made of herself the night before. It was still early, even for the director, and she wasn't sure if any of the Taxi-wagons were running yet, and she'd rather not ask Lup or Barry for a lift, because... well, emotions are not Lucretia's strong suit. So, she reasoned, she was going to walk.

Eversummer, despite it's name, was actually quite cold this time of year, so the director changed into the warmest clothes she owned: tight-fitting, enchanted bluejeans (what can she say, they're durable and comfy), a long-sleeved tunic, and a baggy sweatshirt, over which she unconsciously threw Lup's IPRE jacket, and started out, ignoring, as best she could, the sharp bite of the wind on her dark face.

It didn't take as long as she thought it would to reach the Bureau, or where the Bureau should have been.

When Lucretia reached the familiar area of Eversummer, the first thing she saw was the throng of Bureau employees standing around on the street in their Pajamas, and then she looked up. The Bureau of Benevolence had been a simple building, tall, but built mostly of glass and stone, it was meant to blend in (a suggestion from the architects, as Lucretia's plans were more extravagant, see: floating moon base.) This building was very much not that one, this building was enormous, longer than it was tall, along with a few outstanding buildings, and surrounded by a large, green campus. The main building resembled a cathedral built in white stone, with towers to either side, and a tall pointed roof. Both sides also sported long wings, built more like castle walls than normal structures. It was a grandiose structure, one that pulled ancient memories to the forefront of Lucretia's mind, because that structure which had replaced her Bureau of Benevolence, was the Institute for Planar Research and Exploration.

Magviryn awoke alone, which didn't surprise her, but the air in the room, seemed quite cold, so she decided she'd take a bath. A quick flick of her hand cast create water, and another cast prestidigitation, but quite as soon as she'd lowered herself into the bath, her morning was interrupted. The Glass Woman appeared and leaned against the edge of the bath. Time froze around the two, but Magviryn was not included in the freeze.

"Anomaly, I need more information from you." The Glass Woman said

"You know, I have a name." Magviryn replied

"Yes... Magviryn."

"Well, now you know mine, what's yours?"

"This one has been designated a Fixer."

"Well that's helpful. What... uh, what do you do? Why do you look like glass?"

"This is my default form... Magviryn. I can take others..."

The "fixer's" form shifted, growing Taller, her shoulders widening, and her skin darkening, until she took the appearance of Katja Loo. Four years prior, Katja was Magviryn's most reliable dance partner, they were the two most outcast in the dance academy, Katja because of her bulk, and Magviryn for her rarity, the two, despite these odds were some of the most rhythmic dancers in the academy, they met each other's patterns, and incorporated them into their own repertoires, and their partnership thrived.

It was a late night when Katja betrayed her friend. Magviryn had been told after class that this was her last, and was sitting in the showers, her back to the tiled wall, the water running, so no one would see her cry. Magviryn believed she was the only one in the building, but then she heard a locker open and close. The fire Genasi was in no state to deal with anyone, but she couldn't summon up the energy to leave. Katja stepped into view, just as Magviryn's head dropped back to her knees. She had a white towel tied around her waist, and was carrying a few various toiletries in a bag on her arm, but when she saw Magviryn, she put them down and carefully approached her friend.

"Hey, Vir... you okay?" She asked, kneeling on the tile

"Yep... totally fine." Magviryn replied, not bothering to try and hide the waver in her voice.

"What happened, Vir?"

"I... I'm not allowed back, Instructor Valer told me when class ended, and... I've been here since."

"Oh."

Silence, save for the crashing of the water erupted in the room for a moment, until Katja spoke again, saying weakly "I'm sorry, I didnt... I didn't know she would do that."

"What?" Magviryn asked

"Michel, and Claudia... They know something about me... they know-"

"About what's between your legs?"

"How-?"

"Honey, we've danced together, the amount of times our hips have either intentionally, or accidentally crashed together, it would be impossible for me to not know."

"Oh Gods... and you didn't... didn't care."

"Of course not, why would I?"

"They said you would... they said everyone would hate me... I should never have listened..." Katja's voice drifted into silence, angry at herself and at Michel and Claudia.

"You deserve a better friend than me." She whispered before slamming her fist into the tiled wall hard enough to crack it, and break the skin on her knuckles.

"Katja! Are you okay?" Magviryn asked, finding enough strength to sit up, and take Katja's hand in hers

"Please, Vir... run away from here, get away from me. I'm toxic, I ruined your life. You should have been the queen of this class, and I got you kicked out."

"They threatened you, they were going to out you, that's not fair."

"I did it anyway, I wouldn't fight them for you. I told Valer that... I told her you'd been inappropriate, and... you deserve better friends..."

That was the last conversation the two had had, but in the present, seeing her face again, Magviryn broke, her consciousness fell into a void.


	5. Chapter 5

Lucretia took her time walking home after convincing a local innkeeper to take in the Bureau employees without homes to go back to. A few choice words and a heavy lump sum of gp was all it took, but the dark skinned woman was still exhausted. When Lucretia opened the door, she could feel that something was wrong, Lup and Barry should have been awake and out of bed by now, Taako should be lounging on the denim loveseat, glaring at the portrait above the mantle (a copy of the one from the Beach Cycle). Where was everyone? Lucretia crept upstairs, cautiously drawing power into her staff until she heard voices from the bathroom, one robotic and stilted, the other harsh and cruel.

"-This must be the undead soul, the unfinished thing that clings to your mortal soul." The robotic voice reasoned, calm and collected

"You want to hurt us! You would take me away from Magviryn! GO AWAY!" The harsh voice shouted, sounding more like a scared young girl than anything undead.

A sound like shattering china erupted in the bathroom, and Lucretia slammed the door open with her staff, the glass woman stood at the edge of the bathtub and it looked as if time had frozen just as she was being blown up from the inside. A fiery, white explosion covered her torso, pieces of glass seemed to be being flung away from her, and there was an enormous crack rising up between her transparent breasts. Lucretia was frozen in the doorway for just a moment, until the glass woman disappeared.

Magviryn's body was lying, slumped over the side of the tub. She didn't react when Lucretia ran to her side, so the Director tried to check for a pulse, but the Genasi's skin was burning hot, like a cast iron pan over a fire. Lucretia looked closer, slowing down, and trying to calm down, which let her see Magviryn's chest rise and fall with ragged breaths.

"LUP! BARRY! NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE!" Lucretia shouted, doing her best to place Magviryn into a more comfortable position, and wincing when her hands started to burn.

Lup was there first, racing into the room with flames licking up her forearm, ready to fight. Barry wasn't far behind, his wand was drawn, and necrotic energy filled with lightning crackled at its tip. When Lup saw what was happening, she waved Barry away with a quick "Go check on Taako," and carefully walked to Lucretia's side.

"Luce, what's going on?" She asked quietly

"Don't know, I got back and heard voices up here, that glass woman came back, and... something... someone, I don't know spoke out of her, then I burst in, and the glass woman looked like she was shattering, and Magviryn was unconscious." Lucretia replied

"Tell me what happened."

"Later! I need your help moving her, I can't touch her without burning my hands. We need to... take her somewhere to be healed, or... get her dressed, and I'll call Merle."

A level, calming look from Lup helped Lucretia calm down enough to get her breathing under control, and the elf said "I'll take her to the guest room, go call Merle, it'll be okay."

Lup watched silently as her girlfriend walked downstairs, muttering to herself, and pulling her stone of Farspeech from her pocket. Lup the Resplendent carefully picked up the fire Genasi, willing the heat away from her hands with a thought, and carried her bridal style to the guest room. Lup looked around the room for something to wrap Magviryn in, to save her modesty, and her eyes caught on Barry's IPRE jacket, but he's never worn it, the Institute had given it to him when he was assigned the mission, but he'd left it on Tosun... He'd shown up the day they left, dark circles under his eyes, and and a Triple Red-Eye Espresso in his hand, cursing because He'd left it at home. The thought of it being here, in Faerun was too much to process, so she passed it over in favor of Lucretia's robes from the day before, which were just enough to cover the fire Genasi. Merle waddled into the room just a few minutes later, explaining that Barry had opened a portal for him. Lucretia was right behind him, as was Barry, and the three watched as Merle carefully and thoughtfully placed his wooden hand on Magviryn's head. A minute passed. and then another, until

"Well Kiddos, nothing's wrong with 'er." Merle said, opening his eyes and removing hand

"What do mean, Merle? She's Unconscious!" Lucretia said, voice starting to raise

"I mean, she's not physically hurt. Got somethin' goin' on in her melon, sure, but nothing I can heal."

Merle scratched at his beard, causing a blooming tulip to fall to the floor, but he ignored it, and another grew in its place after a moment. Lucretia stared at the dwarf incredulously, shaking her head.

"Lup, can you go get Magnus and Davenport if he's still on land, we need to have a meeting. Do you know if Angus is still at Taako's?" Lucretia said, reigning in her frustration.

"He should be, I saw his hat on the hook when I went looking for Taako, who is downstairs by the way." Barry said, shoving his hands in his pockets

"Do you want me to take Magnus and Dav to the Bureau, or are we coming back here?" Lup asked

"Here, the Bureau... well, it isn't... there." Lucretia replied

"What... do you mean, Creesh?"

Lucretia shook her head, saying "I can't explain it now, I need to tell you all at the same time."

While all this was happening, Magviryn was trapped in her own mindscape. She stood in a void, dark as the pillars of The Hunger, watching as orbs pushed against each other, one was big, the size of a taxi-wagon, and it was bright and fiery, the other was small, no bigger than Magviryn's fist, and it was purple with a dark haze surrounding it, like light was being ripped away from it. The two orbs seemed to be at even odds despite their size difference, and as Magviryn approached, they changed form, quickly becoming two girls, they were young maybe four or five, and they were fighting with each other, hands clasped together, pushing against each other. The one on the left, with purple skin and dark black hair was shouting "They'll hurt you! They'll hurt us! I'm powerful, I can keep us from getting hurt anymore! After Daddy, and your dancer friend, you need to be protected!"

The fiery girl with ash-grey skin and burning hair was silent, but looked at Magviryn with weary eyes, pleading with her. Magviryn took another step closer, but not toward what seemed to be her younger self. As Magviryn laid her hand on the purple girl's shoulder, she felt pain, and confusion, she felt like she wanted to protect someone more than any other desire she'd ever had, and then she head a name: Caezora. The name hit her harder than the death of her father, and certainly harder than being kicked out of Dance academy. Caezora, her sister. Caezora, who her father said had been stillborn. Caezora. Magviryn yanked her hand away from the young girl, crying, and apologizing, but the vision faded as her younger self softly laid a hand against her back, and she was awake again.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Saviours Make a Decision

Magviryn's bare feet padded silently down Lup and Barry's stairs as she pulled Lucretia's robes tighter around herself, more for comfort than warmth. The fore genasi found herself lingering on the bottom step, staring at the front door, something inside her screaming at her to run, because alone is the only way she's safe, people hurt her, people will keep hurting her, alone is safe. Before she realized it, Magviryn had a hand on the door, but Lucretia's voice found her ears, muffled by the kitchen door.

"-OF COURSE SHE'S TRUSTWORTHY! YOU WANTED HER HERE, LUP!" Lucretia shouted, the sound of a wand swishing through the air

"DON'T TALK TO MY SISTER THAT WAY! YOU DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK TO HER AT ALL!" Came Taako's voice, savage and sharp.

The kitchen was silent after that, until Magviryn entered, shuffling her feet, and trying to keep her eyes open.

"I know... you don't know me. I know you have no reason to trust me. I'm a thief, and a rogue, and an all out liar. I'm no hero, not like you all, I didn't save the planar system, and I certainly didn't spend a hundred years running from an unknowable evil... I'm a charity case at best, and a con artist at worst... I have no right to ask for your help, and above all, as I'm sure you've heard, I'm supposedly harboring some undead entity." Magviryn began, anger lacing into her words as she continued, "But that undead entity is my stillborn sister, Caezora Sunwhisper." Rage flashed across the genasi's form, and her eyes lit up like an explosion "That Entity is My Sister, and I WILL PROTECT HER WITH MY LIFE, SO IF YOU WANT ME TO LEAVE-" Lucretia's dark eyes darted upward at that. " If you want me to leave... tell me... and I'll go. I don't deserve to be in your presence, let alone threaten you." The energy Magviryn had summoned to defend her sister faded, and she slumped against the doorframe.

Taako, who had been standing and leveling the KrEbStAr at Lucretia, looked as though his soul had been sucked out of him. He looked at his sister, and at the rest of his gathered family, and then closed his eyes.

"Alright then, you must be starving, let's get you some food, and a nice cup of tea." Taako said, almost whispering " The rest of you are invited too." Taako then directed to his family.

Once food and tea had been distributed, even to Lucretia, the seven birds, a fire genasi, and a semi-living half-elf Reaper of The Raven Queen sat in Taako's dining room, and discussed the world changing.

"As far as we can tell, this... 'Fixer' as you called her, is trying to set straight any planar anomalies within this planar system." Davenport began

"Yes. She thinks I'm an anomaly because of my sister, whose soul should be in the Astral plane, but somehow attached itself to my soul. I'm not sure why any reapers didn't notice-" Magviryn replied

"Elemental souls, especially water and fire elementals, are... slippery, and hard for Reapers to track, a stillborn genasi... a soul that small, and that slippery, it would be almost impossible for us to sense." Kravitz chimed in, expositing fluently.

"Anyway... um, yeah. That's why I'm a... anomaly, she's also a shapeshifter, she changed her form into... well... someone I used to know." 

"So it's theoretically possible that she has visited all seven of us, and we just didn't know." Lucretia said carefully

"That day at Goldcliff, when Hurley tried to spook us with the Militia." Magnus said to the dwarf beside him

"Right, yeah, I figured those heebie-jeebies were because of the Militia, but it may've been her." Merle responded

"Hey babe, you remember that case with those dragon priests?" Lup asked Barry

"Hey Yeah! I knew something was following us, I just figured we lost a priest's soul." The human replied

"So, she's certainly observed all of us, what is her goal?" Davenport asked

"I think... I may know the answer to that." Lucretia spoke up. "This morning, Killian called me because The Bureau employees who sleep there overnight had all woken up in a completely different building, some woke up, lying on lab tables, and some in a three hundred person lecture hall... The Bureau of Balance has been replaced, and... The Institute is sitting in Downtown Neverwinter."

"The Institute?" Magnus asked

"Of Planar Research and Exploration. I think... I think this fixer is trying to combine all one hundred planes we visited."

Silence fell in the room. The Seven Birds caught faraway looks in their eyes, and the two native to this Plane felt fear clawing at their hearts. Of all the Planes that the Story and Song spoke of, few were pleasant, and even fewer would allow this plane to continue normally. They thought of Cycle 82, and the empty world, if that plane were to invade this one, what would happen? Would everyone die out like they did? Or would it only partially invade, and what would that mean? Super powerful wizards? But in that cycle, all the other planes were cut off. What about Cycle 8, and the poisonous mushrooms, the unending crawl of mycelium, or Cycle 65 and the Judges, what would happen?

Lup was the first to stop this line of thinking, saying "We can't let that happen."

"W...what?" Lucretia asked

"Lup, think about it: Home will be coming back, we'll have our friends back, out families." Barry said

"Our lives... our careers." Davenport muttered, still lost in imagination

"No. There was too much bad in those hundred years, it's not just home, not just Tosun, it's Fungston, and The Judges, and The Robot world. It's Death, and Destruction, and sorrow... we've brought enough of that to this world, we can't let anymore happen." Lup answered, looking to Taako for support.

Surprisingly it was Merle who spoke up first, saying "I may not be your best defendant because I didn't have much back on our home plane, but... this world is more of a home to me than that one has ever been."

"Lup's right, we made our choice and this is the world we chose. We fought for this world more than we know, every cycle from Tosun to here was another fight for this world, we have to protect it now." Magnus said

Taako sighed, and answered next, but not with words, instead, he linked his hand with his boyfriend's and laid them both on the table, glaring at anyone who dared question his decision.

**Author's Note:**

> I forgot to mention that I actually rolled my Fire Genasi OC with a D&D Character Sheet generator, called FastCharacter.com, and she's a Level 10 Rogue with the Arcane Trickster Subclass, she's wonderful, and if you want to know more about her, just ask, I have the Character Sheet
> 
> -Anais_Silveas


End file.
